Partnerships

The Piven Theatre Workshop provides professional-quality theatre arts training and mentorship to all interested students. Training is available for youth and adults throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, both at its location in Evanston and through various offsite residency programs. Through our community partnerships we aim to dismantle barriers and make arts education accessible to all. For over 50 years, the Workshop has been committed to offering professional and artistic development opportunities. A key part of that mission is our community partnerships. We believe that the power of theatre comes through community and collaboration. Our longstanding commitment to serving our community is at the heart of the Workshop.

At the Workshop we are proud to be a theatre that responds to the needs of our community. Our unique approach is trauma-informed and incorporates best practices in social emotional learning. Trauma-informed practices incorporate an emphasis on safety, supportive leadership, self-regulation, and strengths. They allow participants to put words and movements to sadness, anger, and joy. Creating a safe space to explore difficult topics has an incredible impact for our students.

Piven Theatre Workshop is fiercely committed to our theatre community partnerships. Since our birth in 1971, PTW has collaborated with organizations in Evanston and across the greater Chicago area. We understand that theatre needs to deepen, broaden, and diversify audiences by connecting them to their neighborhoods and inviting individuals to participate in the creation of art. The arts can initiate critical thinking around society’s most pressing problems. Historically, the theatre community has been at the forefront in welcoming art that evidences diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual identity, and class with an eager view towards open dialogue and exploration. The arts educate, inform and transform communities. We are eager to continue to deepen our involvement and partnership with organizations across Chicago.